1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a soil plug processing mechanism and to a ground maintenance machine and/or cleaning machine having such a soil plug processing mechanism. In addition, the present invention relates to particular parts for such a soil plug processing mechanism or such a machine.
2. Background Information
Soil plugs are created within the framework of ground maintenance, for example when the ground is being maintained using hollow spiking tools such as hollow spoons during deep loosening. In the case of a ground maintenance machine for the deep loosening of soils, such as is described, for example, in DE 10 2008 017 242 A1, DE 10 2005 021 025 A1 or EP 1 505 862 B1 or WO 03/096784 A1, it is possible to use hollow tines as tools for the deep loosening, such hollow tines pulling soil plugs with them once they are pulled out of the ground and depositing them on the soil. The machines engage in the ground by way of hollow tines and remove soil plugs which remain lying on the surface of the ground.
The term “soil plug” does not have to designate a plug shape. The term refers to pieces of earth and soil materials (e.g. with vegetation or roots) which are dug out of the earth to insert holes. These pieces do not have to be absolutely plug-shaped, even if the plug shape is a frequent shape that appears. The term “soil plug” is to be understood synonymously with the term “soil core”.
On many sports grounds or other grassed areas, said soil plugs have to be arduously collected in by hand and disposed of once the holes have been inserted by machine. Accordingly, in the prior art and in practice there are essentially two methods of dealing with such soil plugs. One method is to pick up and dispose of all the soil plugs. Another method is to pick up the soil plugs and to break them up completely in order then to distribute all the material of the soil plug onto the ground again. To this end, the material is chopped small and is deposited onto the ground again in a corresponding manner.
There are already machines for picking-up soil plugs which pick up the soil plugs using a brush and then process them in a corresponding manner. The brushes sweep the soil plugs up of the ground and are also referred to as sweeping brushes. Known soil plug processing machines are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,336, U.S. Patent No. 2003/0066661, GB 1 482 418 and U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0056555.
Separating the soil plugs into organic materials and anorganic materials such as sand has already been proposed in part in the previously mentioned prior art. The sand is able to be re-distributed on the ground, it being possible to collect the organic materials and to supply them to a separate treatment or for disposal. The separating is effected by sieves which are fastened on the machine chassis and are provided with corresponding impinging elements or vibrating elements.